Junior's eyes
by Gett
Summary: Whilst on a simple hunt Dean is hit with a spell which turns his body back to a six year olds. Can John and Sam keep Dean safe until he changes back or will Dean be doing the saving?Based on the song by Black Sabbath 'Juniors eyes'. Pre-season one.
1. Chapter 1

Setting : This story takes place pre season one. Dean is twenty one. Sam is seventeen. Based on the song by Black Sabbath_ ' Juniors eyes'._

Warnings: Swearing and crude jokes.

Disclaimers: I don't own any supernatural characters and are making no money from this story. Any extra characters are the author's inventions and are not based on any living person. Places and company names are used for reference only. Song belongs to artist credited.

Authors note: Unrelated to any other story I have posted.

Beta: Many thanks to RealFunkyTown for her awesome editing skills. Any mistakes are mine not hers.

**Junior's eyes**

**Chapter 1**

John Winchester huffed a sigh as he looked out the side window of the Impala to the old weatherboard house. It was shabby and well back on the block but it had an evil sense about it, to John at least. He turned to his eldest son in the passenger seat. "You know the plan Dean?"  
"Yes I know the plan Dad. We have been over it ten times already, keep the old woman calm and get the information we need. I still think it's you who's going to be having the problem with that." John sighed again, wanting to reprimand Dean for questioning his commitment to the hunt, but knowing now was not the time.

Just when did Dean start to give him lip anyway? The last few years had been hard ones on the boys with the training mixed with schoolwork but Dean had just turned twenty one and was well away from the books. But just lately Dean seemed to be using humor as a blanket more times than could count. It seemed to John the more serious the situation the more he made jokes and at first John thought it was to help Sam over some more stressful hunts, but he seemed to be using it all the time of late. He would make a point of talking to Dean about when it was appropriate to use humor. He had already had a huge argument with Sam that morning and didn't feel like doing it again anytime soon.

Sam spoke up from the back seat. "Yeah Dad, try to stay calm in there and avoid pissing her off."  
"Well having you in the car should help that." Sam opened his mouth to retaliate but Dean stepped in.  
"Come on guys, time and place." He growled. Both John and Sam opened their mouths in surprise as Dean stepped out of the car.  
"Sorry Sam. It was wrong of me to say that." Sam's shock at John's apology showed on his face.  
"You sure you don't want me to come in? I can behave, promise."  
"It's ok Sam. I think Dean had this one right. We need a lookout just in case and you know how protective Dean is of you." Sam nodded.  
"Good luck dad."  
"Thanks Sam."

John slid out of the car and found Dean leaning against a tree with his arms folded. "You guys finished with your feelings?" John sighed again and walked past Dean to the house and knocked on the door. After a few moments a middle aged darker skinned lady came to the door.  
"Come in Mr. Winchester." John stepped through the doorway.  
"Hi I'm Dean. Pleased to meet you Miss Tramere." Dean held out his hand and the woman shook it slowly getting a good feeling about the young man who had offered his hand when his father hadn't.

She led them to a small, softly lit sitting room and motioned for them to sit on the chairs scattered around the room. Dean sat close to his father, knowing his short temper was likely to get him in trouble no matter how much he promised. " Thank you for seeing us High Priestess Tramere." John kept his voice low and as soothing as he could. "I know you are very busy but it is imperative we find the lady that is using these spells around town."  
"Actually I go by Mambo Tramere. What spells are we talking about?"  
"Does it really matter?"  
"Yes, if I know what is being used it will help me narrow down the person who is doing it."John sighed and turned slightly to Dean.  
"What are they again?"

"Ah we have two guys that spent all their families money on balloons and candy. One lady gave away everything she owned in the middle of the street. A guy went swimming in the reservoir, no one knows how he got in. Another guy dressed himself in only diapers and claimed he was a baby. We have several people stepping off a curbs with their eyes shut, like they are imagining it's a cliff, the full yelling and pretending they are dead when they fall down. A lady made a shrine dedicated to digital clocks, bought hundreds of 'em. Another lady went to a child care center saying she was four and needed to be there, and my personal favorite, about a dozen people going round making revving noises as they walk along with racing commentary as they pass people in the street." Dean consulted a list they had put together.

She looked at them shrewdly. "These spells don't seem like they are doing much damage. You are hunters _aren't_ you?"  
"They don't look like much now but they can escalate pretty quickly if someone wants them to."  
"And how do you know this will? It sounds like someone out for some fun to me."  
"We just need to be sure that this nut... this person..." John tried hard to push down his anger. "Doesn't get carried away."  
"So you intend to find this person and observe?"  
"No, warn them off."  
"How exactly do you _warn_ people?" The Mambos eyes were narrowed at John and Dean, just by looking at her John had not collected a fan.

John found his temper about to break, this woman seemed determined to piss him off. "We just talk to them,that's all." She looked through narrowed eyes at John, not trusting him one iota in Dean's book.  
"We can make a suggestion, nicely, that they be careful with what they are doing," Dean said softly. John glared at Dean hoping like hell he was just playing nice, they had no business being 'nice' to witches. She watched as Johns fixed a fake smile on his face and turned back to face her.  
"Well there is lots voodoo, hoodoo and mountain magic, around at the moment with the festival going on so it will be hard to pinpoint."  
"So after all this you cant tell us who it is?" John's impatience showed through as he frowned at her.  
"Easy Dad," warned Dean.  
"Don't easy dad me! She is just jerking us around."  
"Just chill ok Dad?"  
"Yeah, dad just chill," she mimicked Dean not knowing it was something Sam did that pissed him off.

John felt his control slipping and knew he needed to get out of there soon. "Look can you help or not?" John felt the vein in his forehead starting to pulse.  
"I might," she said in measured tones."Can I have another look at the list?" Dean handed her the paper."The general theme seems to be high jinks and fun which could be anyone but there are two age involved tricks which makes me think of someone in particular." She studied the list for a few minutes seeming to turn things over in her mind. "It sounds like a gentleman by the name of Sander Denton. The best time to talk to him would be in the mornings. He's a freelance photographer so he works afternoons and nights all over. He focuses on age spells and has used them on himself with good results."  
"Why would he do that?" John was skeptical. It was a guy pulling these spells off? All his research pointed to a female.

She stood and flipped through a small book on the side table. "He wants to be young again like us all."  
"Not all of us," Grizzled John , sure now she was setting them up for a joke.  
"It might do you good to release the child inside you Mr. Winchester. You might even like it."  
"I seriously doubt that." She sighed as she sat and wrote the address down and handed the paper back to Dean. "You're sure it's a guy?"  
"Yes I'm sure. He is about sixty now but looks like you, Dean. So you can see he knows his spells."  
"Where did he learn his spells from?"  
"Well , magic and witchcraft run in his family. He came to me to help hone what god given talent he had."

John could feel the vein in his temple throb with restrained anger. God given talent, his ass. People believing it was handed down through the family and they had every right to use it. "So you taught him the age spells?"  
"I showed him the books I use and, as I said, taught him to hone his talents, though I never specifically taught him any one spell."  
"Why is that?" Dean spoke up. John was sure he saw a look on Dean's face that he got when he wanted to learn more.  
"I never teach my students any one particular spell because they are all interpreted differently by the individual user. Each person puts their own twist or flavor to it."  
"What gives it the different twist?" John looked at Dean in disbelief as he conversed with the woman like they were at a tea party.

She seemed to sense John holding onto his temper and gave him a quick glare before turning back to Dean. "The power they have within, sweetie. That makes the spell what it is." John was clenching his fists as the woman had the hide to call his son 'sweetie'. "For instance," she continued, "if I was to put a spell on your father it would have different results than if you did it."  
"Because I'm not a witch or a voodoo?"  
"No sweetie, you don't have to be a witch to have powers. You have plenty of powers, you are just _untrained." _

Dean's eyebrows raised at having someone say he had plenty of powers. He opened his mouth to ask how she knew when John stepped in. "Ok Dean, that's enough running your mouth. We have bothered this _poor woman_ enough. Thank you for your help. Come on Dean." John rose and headed for the door without another word. Dean stood and shook Mambo Tramere's hand.  
"We really appreciate your help. Thank you very much. I promise we will try to talk to Sander without freaking him out."  
"Good luck with that." Her eyes landed on John's back and Dean had a feeling she was talking about more than just this hunt.  
"Thanks again."

Dean found his dad fumbling with the latches to the front door. It seemed that she had locked the latches after they had come in and now John was having to open them all to get out. As John finally unlatched the last lock Mambo appeared to the right of John in the hallway. Dean's reflexes jumped in even though he liked the woman, he was always alert for trouble, being a hunter. As Dean stepped behind his dad's back he heard some muttered words he couldn't make out. He went to turn to ask her what she meant when a thick wind blew him forward and he stumbled into John's back. John's bulk buffered most of Dean's fall and he turned and gave Dean a glare. "Careful on your feet there, clumsy." Dean looked back into the darkness of the house but couldn't see anyone at all. They made it back to the car although Dean kept looking back at the house over his shoulder. They climbed in and John drove them to Sander's house even though The Mambo had told them he wouldn't be home until the morning. John picked the lock and Dean kept watch while he looked around inside.

When they were back in the car and heading back to the motel John finally spoke, "So it looks like she was right. He has some sort of altar and spells written down and taped to a wall but no spell books at all. We can come back in the morning and 'talk' to him." Sam noticed the way John had spoken and knew something had happened in the Mambo's house as he had expected. Even though they hadn't talked between her house and Sanders house Sam had picked up the tension between them and his dad's barley contained anger. He sighed and leaned back on the seat, predicting a long and hostile night between his dad and brother. He was not looking forward to it. When they arrived back at the motel, John sent Dean out for burgers indicating John wanted some space from his son.

As Dean stood in the store and waited for his order to be cooked he started to feel nauseous and a headache kicked in. It was a dull throbbing pain in the back of his head, making him scrunch his brow. The food was finally ready and he headed back to the motel. By the time he got there his headache had crawled around to his ears and was beginning to feel more hostile. He went to the trunk and slipped the smallest first aid kit into his pocket. He entered the room and dropped the bag on the table in front of Sam as John came out of the bathroom. John headed for the table and Dean moved into the bathroom and shut the door behind him. "I'm not saving you anything Dean. You better hurry up."  
"Yeah, Yeah." Dean knew his food was fair game to Sam while he was growing so much, but he really didn't care for once. He took some pain killers and left the kit in the bathroom under a towel.

When he went out into the other room there was a burger and fries sitting waiting for him at the table despite Sam's threat. "Another minute Dean and they would have been mine."  
"Sure Sammy." Dean sat and ate almost half his burger before he felt to sick to eat. He pushed his fries over to Sam without a word. Sam looked up in surprise.  
"You ok Dean?"Dean nodded and got up and threw the rest of his burger out in the trash. Sam noticed him throw out the rest of his food and he frowned in concern.  
"Dean, you want to go to a bar and play some pool? We could use some cash before we get going tomorrow." John hadn't seen Dean throw out his food.

Dean had gone over and sat on one of the beds, shutting his eyes."Can I go in the morning?" John frowned as he looked over at Dean. Normally he would be jumping over hurdles to go to a bar.  
"You ok Dean?"  
"Yes sir. It's just a headache."  
"Ok. Well, I'll go but save me a bed. I won't be in late."  
"Yes sir," they knew that meant he and Sam would be left to fight it out over the other bed and the cot. He wasn't really in the mood to tussle over a bed as his headache had now come around to his temples making them throb. John slammed the door behind him and Dean stood and went to the bathroom and washed up for bed.

When he came out Sam was sitting against one of the bed heads, so he dragged the cot out without a word, sliding his boots, jeans and socks off and got under the covers tiredly. He curled up so he could fit without hanging over the sides too much. Sam looked over with concern as his brother climbed under the covers. It was extremely rare for Dean not to put up a fight over sleeping in the small cot. "Dean are you ok?"  
"Yeah Sammy I'm fine," Dean mumbled.  
"You sure Dean? Because you can have..." Sam didn't finish his sentence because Dean scrambled out of the cot and ran for the bathroom door.

Dean threw up his meager attempt at dinner and dry reached until his headache was the full 360 of his skull. When he had cleaned up and crawled back into the cot Sam came over with a first aid kit. He put a hand to Dean's forehead making Dean feel like he was the younger brother for a second. "Hands off Sammy, I'm ok."  
"No you're not Dean. You're burning up. Let me do this for once." Dean opened his mouth to tell Sam to back off but a thermometer was shoved in there. Sam pushed Dean down on the cot and sat with him until the device beeped.  
"Well you have a fever 103.5 that's pretty high. Have you taken something?"  
"Yeah but I'm guessing it's in the toilet now." Sam gave Dean more tablets and a glass of water."Thanks Sammy." Sam eyed Dean critically.  
"Do you wanna sleep in the bed? Since you're sick and all."  
"I'm ok here. It's closer to the bathroom," he joked softly.  
"Get some rest."  
"Yes dad."

Dean was happy to close his eyes and let his body succumb quickly to sleep, hoping the headache would be gone when he woke. Sam studied his brother's sleeping face. He didn't like it when Dean was sick. He was the glue that held the family together, and Sam really needed his brother for that now. Since he had told his dad he was planning to go away to university when he finished high school they were at each other's throats constantly. If the argument he had with his father that morning was anything to go by he was in for a tough time.

Dean woke four hours later feeling very hot and struggled out of the covers and fell the short distance to the floor. He saw that both beds were now occupied meaning his dad had returned while he was asleep. The motel room felt too hot for him so he swallowed down more painkillers and stepped out of the room for a few minutes. The cold air outside instantly made him feel cooler but his headache come more to the front of his head. He stared up at the stars, thinking about the 'conversation' between Sam and John that morning.

A rustle behind him as the door opened made him turn slightly. "Dude you do know you are dressed in your underwear, don't you?"  
"No one is going to care Sammy. Go back to bed." Dean's voice was rough and sharp.  
"You ok?" Sam reached up to Dean's brow. "You're all hot again."  
"I just took tablets. I will be ok. I'm just cooling down a bit then I'll be back in bed."  
"Ok. Hey Dean, thanks for talking to dad with me about school. I know it might not happen but I want him to let me go if I decided I want to."

Dean sighed mentally. It had been more of an argument than a talk, and Dean knew the fact that Sam had wanted to talk about it in the first place meant Sam was already sold on the idea. He just had to work out the means. "No problems Sammy. You're my brother and I'm here for you for anything, you know that." Dean had to work hard to keep the bitterness from his voice. He hated the idea of Sam just skipping out on them but he had been seeing it coming for some time and was still trying to accept it. He doubted he ever would.

He had promised Sam when he went on his first hunt he would always have his back, but if Sam left that wouldn't be possible. Dean was upset and conflicted but as far as he could tell Sam didn't have a problem with it. His main concern seemed to getting as far away from their dad as he could. Meaning as far away from Dean as well. Sam missed Dean's sad face and the tears in his eyes in the dark and clapped his brother on the shoulder. "Sleep well, Dean. I hope you feel better in the morning."  
"Me too. Thanks Sammy."

When he had cooled down, Dean slipped back into the room and into bed, pleased his brother and father were fast asleep. Despite his headache Dean was soon snuggled under the covers and fast asleep.

**_'Junior's eyes looked up to the skies in tears,  
He prayed that his maker, the giver and taker, would hear.'_**

**_Juniors eyes, Black Sabbath_****_._**

_TBC_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimers and warnings see chapter 1

Beta: Many thanks to RealFunkyTown for her awesome editing skills. Any mistakes are mine not hers.

Chapter 2

Dean woke in the morning feeling a lot better and got up to use the bathroom, hitching his boxers as he did. When he arrived at the toilet he broke through his sleepiness to realize something was very wrong. Everything in the bathroom was way higher than it was meant to be. His boxers fell down with out him touching them and he looked down to see tiny feet at the end of tiny legs. He was momentarily struck motionless as he took in what had happened. He took the few steps to the mirror and had to stretch up on his toes to see more than the top of his head. Damn he was him still, but himself when he was six or seven. Dean stared at himself for a good few minutes trying to figure out what had his bladder twinged unpleasantly breaking him from his stupor. Dean went to the toilet and hiked his long T shirt up, held on to his considerably smaller hardware and relived himself. He was still thinking hard. His first instinct had been to run screaming to his Dad but he was way to seasoned a hunter to do that. Plus Sam wouldn't let him ever forget it.

Instead he walked back into the room and shoved his Dad's shoulder.  
"Hey Dad, wake up. Huston, we have a problem."  
Dean cringed at his small high voice and John and Sam both sat up suddenly. John looked around him quickly and found Dean's small form standing next to his bed.  
"Dean?" Dean nodded.  
"What the hell Dean?" Sam was out of bed and coming over to him, glancing quickly at the cot.  
When he reached Dean he bent down and looked into Dean's small was startled at seeing Dean so small. He had seen photos of course but seeing it in the flesh was another thing altogether. Dean's face was a miniature version of his older self all big green eyes, full red lips and long eyelashes. His most beautiful features stood out so much more as a young kid. Not withstanding how handsome he was even at such a young age.

Sam reached out and touched his brother's face. "You feel ok Dean?"  
"Get your paws off me Sammy. Do I look ok to you?" Sam couldn't help himself and ran a hand through Dean's blonde hair that was sticking up every which way. He looked so darned cute!  
"Shit Dean. What happened? "  
"It has to be Mambo Tramere. I think she flung something at you when we left yesterday."  
"Me?"  
"Yeah,you. You pissed her off remember?" John frowned in thought.  
"Well we should get back there and get her to change you back."  
"Yes that's it. Great idea. Let's do that."  
"Let's get dressed and get going."  
"Ah Dad, I don't have any clothes to wear."

John frowned again.  
"Ah, Sam and I will get you some and then we will go see her."  
Dean was glad that Sam seemed to have lost his tongue and hoped he would be back to normal before he found it again. Sam gathered his things, glancing at Dean's smooth little face, and went to the bathroom to dress. Dean climbed up into Sam's vacated bed and watched TV while they were gone. Sam and John returned an hour later with a set of clothes they described as 'small'. They had paid five dollars for the lot at a thrift store, John explaining that he didn't want to pay too much for clothes he would only wear for an hour. Dean left his own boxers on and used the small jeans to hold them up. The T shirt was an awful orange color Dean hated but at least they had got him a blue button down to wear over the top. The boots they had managed to get him were slip-ons and way too big but Dean used his big socks to make them fit better.

They went straight to Mambo Tramere's house but found it locked up tight. John picked the lock and went inside and found the place tidy and very neat. There was nothing indicating where she was and when she would be back. They decided to go to Sander Denton's house and the man answered the door. As the Mambo had said, he looked about Dean's age before he woke up that morning. He stepped back when he saw the fire in John's eyes.  
"We spoke to Mambo Tramere yesterday about who might be flinging spells around town. She came up with your name."  
Sander took another step back.  
"I'm sorry. I was just trying to..." he floundered, very frightened of John in full pissed off mode.  
"We have a more pressing issue we need your help with," he interrupted. "Dean here is twenty one." John pushed Dean forward. "Seems Mambo thought it would be a good idea to fling one of her own spells around and it hit Dean. If you could change him back we can forget about your _indiscretions_."  
Sander looked between Dean and John a few times.

John put a hand on his hip, a moment away from grabbing the guy by the throat and forcing him.  
"Ok, come in."  
The Winchesters followed Sander down to his 'spell room' and watched him prepare the opened some bags of herbs and pulled some ingredients together seemingly at random, tossing them into a smaller bag. When he was finally ready he did the incantation as he waved a bag of some funny smelling herbs. As he finished the spell a spark of static darted between Dean and Sander making both of them yell and looked down at himself.  
"Son of a bitch!" He was still small.  
"I think the Mambo has put a lock on the spell," said the stunned man shaking his fingers.  
"Are you sure you did it right?" John growled.  
"Yes of course. I use the same spell on myself all the time."  
"Do you know where she is?" Sam asked.  
"She went to Australia this morning to see her daughter. I can call her for help but she will be in transit for the next twenty four hours. If it's any consolation, I doubt the spell is meant to last very long. She is a very strong Mambo but she doesn't normally cast spells like this. You must have done something she didn't like."

Dean looked furious, a strange look for a six year old. "Is there anyone else that can fix this?"  
"No the lock can only be undone by the caster. It's very personal to the spell and the person who cast it."  
John sighed."How long?"  
"Two days tops," he said confidently."Here is her number. You should call her tomorrow and see if she can do it over the phone for you."  
Sander gulped loudly hoping John wasn't going to hit him. John gave the man a stern look then started for the door.  
"Come on boys." They went out to the car and stood next to it. "We should get breakfast and plan our next move."

Sam and Dean nodded.  
"Yes sir."  
John was startled by the two very different voices. Sam pushed Dean into the back seat by sheer weight, with Dean letting him know he would get his. At the diner Sam sat next to Dean as was the norm but couldn't get over how cute and small his brother looked. John kept looking at Dean with a combination of amusement and sadness.  
"Hey Dean can you see over the table ok? Do you want Sam to put you on his knee?"  
"Shut up old man. I can still take the both of you." Dean's growl sounded strange with his cute little face.  
"Sure Dean." John laughed. Sam laughed as well.  
"You need a booster seat or a phone book?"  
Dean grizzled under his breath."Laugh all you want geek boy. I can still take you if I need to."  
Sam laughed at Dean's little pouting lips.

The waitress came, took their order and Dean ordered a short stack of pancakes and coffee but the waitress raised her eyebrows.  
"Milk for the little one, thanks." John smiled.  
Dean grizzled again as the now two older Winchesters ordered their food. Dean drank his milk sullenly while the other two smirked at him over their coffee. The waitress however thought he was cute and gave him a scoop of ice cream and extra cream on his pancakes, so he had a chance to smirk back. Dean found he had a little person appetite however and couldn't get halfway through his food before his stomach was at an exploding point. Sam and John were both surprised he left food on his plate.

They decided to go to Wal-mart and get Dean a set of real clothes since he looked like a street kid and they were waiting for the Mambo to land so they could unlock the curse. So they made for the store and led Dean inside. Sam had fun in holding Dean's hand leading him to the boy's wear section and talking to him like he really was six. Sam felt a certain amount of pride at being a big brother for the first time, not that he didn't feel pride at having Dean as his brother. Everyone knew Dean was awesome and he had been Sam's hero since he was old enough to walk. But it felt good to have the roles reversed for a moment and feel what Dean did for once. He hoped Dean had as much pride in him as he had for Dean.

When they arrived at the underwear aisle, Sam took great pleasure in holding up a pair of tiny underwear, and asking Dean if it was his _size_ hoping to embarrass his now tiny brother. He should have known better. "Sam you would fit in them _now. _I've heard your dates complaining about how small you are."  
Sam went red and pushed Dean in the shoulder.  
"Sammy, you got less meat in your pants than there is in a vegetarian restaurant."  
Sam could feel Dean getting on a roll.  
"That's enough Dean."  
A young woman down the aisle looked up with a barley contained grin as the brothers bantered back and forth.  
"Very funny Dean."  
"I'm not being funny it's true."  
Sam held the underwear Dean was reaching for at his chest level way above Dean's head with a smirk. Dean raised his hands as high as he could but he may as well have been reaching for the sky, he was that far short. Dean closed his fists and kicked Sam in the shin. Sam gritted his teeth and dropped the underwear on Dean's head.  
"Lucky you dropped em' Sammy. I would have punched you in the balls next. If I could find em'."  
John closed his eyes with a groan as Dean picked out two pairs of underwear and two T shirts. They found a small pair of jeans and a shirt for him then shoes in the footwear area. John noticed Sam was a lot quieter after Dean had kicked his ass with the jokes. But he didn't miss the quick looks he gave his brother when he wasn't watching or the yawns coming from Dean every few minutes. Sam asked Dean if he wanted some toys and Dean told him rather colorfully where to shove his toys.

As they approached the checkout with Dean's things he turned to his Dad.  
"Hand over the card."  
"There is no way a cashier is going to put these through for you Dean. You look all of six."  
Dean scanned the area quickly seeing immediately how quiet it was and that there was a bored looking female clerk chewing gum and turning the pages of a magazine. Dean turned back to John and Sam.  
"I bet I can get her to put it through and get her phone number."  
"No way Dean." Scoffed Sam.  
"Wanna bet?" Dean challenged with an older Dean like smirk, strange on such a young face.  
"What are you going to bet? Cookies?"  
"Hot water. The first shower in the morning and the big bed from you. Two weeks." Dean pointed to them one at a time. John scratched his chin. He liked his hot showers but he couldn't see how Dean could pull this off.  
"Ok, you're on." Sam smirked. There was no way he could do this.

Dean took the card and walked to the checkout keeping his back to Sam and John as they looked at books on the end of the isle. They stole glances as he leaned against the counter and chatted to the girl. She talked to him attentively laughing after a few minutes. Sam's eyes went wide when she laughed again and put the items through. She took the card easy as you please and wrote something on the back of the receipt.  
"There will be no living with him you know." John sighed.  
Sam watched as the girl ruffled Dean's hair with a hand and smiled down at him.  
"I just want to know how he did it."  
Sam saw Dean take the bag from the clerk and walk out the doors. Sam and John walked out of the store and meet up with Dean out the front. Dean handed the receipt to Sam which had a phone number on it.  
"Easy as pie Sammy."  
"How did you do that Dean?"  
"Not telling, but she wants my lonely big brother to give her a call."  
"Dean!"  
"I'm doing you a favor. How long is it since you had a date?"  
"I can get my own dates."  
"You keep telling yourself that Sammy."  
"It's Sam. _Deanie_." Sam teased and messed up Dean's little spikes with a hand.  
"Boys! That's enough."  
They walked the rest of the way to the Impala in silence and drove back to the motel.

Back at the motel Dean changed into his new clothes and threw the other set in the dumpster at the back of the motel. He had wanted to burn them but John had vetoed the idea by saying little boys shouldn't play with matches. Sam went across the street for burgers for lunch and they ate them sitting while watching TV. Sam had bought Dean a small cheeseburger and he had looked at Sam like he was asking where the rest was before eating silently. Dean's little stomach was so small he could barley fit the burger in and then felt like he had eaten half a cow.

Dean lay on a bed in the room watching TV, eyes blinking tiredly when he had finished his food. It seemed his little body wasn't made for too much activity and he was having trouble staying awake. That was until he heard his name. John and Sam were sitting at the small table drinking coffee and talking. Up until his name was mentioned he had been ignoring them. John, it turned out, had found a hunt and Sam was concerned about taking Dean along. Sam stood and paced with frustration as John argued that Dean was Dean just a smaller version.  
"He is too small to take on a hunt Dad full stop."  
"He could wait in the car."  
"He is a liability at his size Dad, we should wait until he turns back."  
"I am not a liability."  
Sam turned to the bed to see Dean standing with his hands on his hips in the middle of the bed. Sam couldn't help but laugh at a six year old Dean looking pissed off.  
"Don't you laugh at me Sam."  
Sam had to turn his face away from Dean lest he burst into gales of laughter. Dean clenched his fists at Sam laughing at him then ran down the bed and launched himself at his brother.

**_Junior sighed as his hands reached out to the sky,  
Junior cried, the day that his best friend died.  
Yeah!_**

**_Juniors eyes, Black Sabbath_**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimers and warnings see chapter 1

Beta: Many thanks to RealFunkyTown for her awesome editing skills. Any mistakes are mine not hers.

Chapter 3

Sam fell backwards at the sudden weight that landed on his chest with little hands wrapped around his neck. Sam had fallen back more in surprise rather than from Dean's weight or power. Dean rode him down to the floor like he had been doing it all his life. He even put a tiny hand behind Sam's head to stop him hurting his head. Sam fortunately had enough sense to hold his head off the ground as he fell back otherwise Dean could have broken his little fingers. As soon as Sam was prone on the floor Dean's hands came around to Sam's throat and put some pressure on. Sam started to laugh at Dean's antics but found he couldn't. His vision was beginning to swim and distort. He felt Dean's small sharp knees pressing down on his chest right where they needed to make it hard to drag air in. "Dean, let your brother up you're hurting him," Sam heard John say from far away.  
"I'm not hurting him Dad, just teaching him that lesson you taught us when we went on our first hunts."  
"What lesson?" John folded his arms watching them.

Sam's vision was now spotting black and starting to fade. It was getting harder to breathe. "Never underestimate the enemy. Even a small pixie can take you down if you don't respect them. Lesson learned Sam?" Sam just had enough feeling left to nod once. Dean let up the pressure at once and Sam took a huge breath in, feeling slightly dizzy for a second before clearing fully. As he concentrated on breathing he felt small hands running over his neck. Dean was soothing his throat better like he had really hurt him. The stupid thing was, except for the breathing he was totally unharmed. Dean got off his chest and stood between his legs pulling him to sitting by the arm. Well, Sam did most of the work.

Dean looked at Sam's face earnestly "You ok Sammy?"  
"Yeah I'm good, thanks."  
"I'm sorry I had to do that but you needed to know, ok?"  
"Yeah. I know you would never hurt me. You are still the best big brother hands down. Come ere'." Sam dragged Dean to him and wrapped him up in a hug.  
"Sam get off me." Dean tried to struggle but Sam's strength held him down.  
"Just relax Dean." Dean's body went limp knowing when he was beaten. He could put up a fight but they would both end up black and blue. Sam sucked in a deep breath.  
"You sure you're ok Sammy?" Dean's cute little face studied Sam's face with concern making Sam's heart melt.  
"Yeah Dean." Sam was rubbing Dean's back like Dean had done to him so many times growing up.

Dean's little head fell down on Sam's shoulder and he quickly pulled it back. "Don't fight it Dean if you're tired have a little nap."  
"Not tired." Dean mumbled his head tilting back and his eyes blinking tiredly. Sam pushed the tiny head to his shoulder.  
"Sure Dean. Just take a quick one."  
"Only a minute," he muttered almost too soft to hear. The little head thumped softly to his shoulder and his eyes closed, looking like he could sleep for a very long time. Sam just heard Dean whisper, "Stupid little body," before he shuddered into a deep sleep. Sam looked up to find John looking at him with shining eyes.

John had missed a lot of moments between his sons because he was away so much and knew he was getting a tiny glimpse of that world. He watched as Sam rose easily with the small bundle in his arms. John moved to take Dean's weight from Sam but Sam shook his head and sat on the bed with his back to the headboard. "Just lay him down on the bed Sam."  
"I never got to see him this small and remember it. I just want to be able to look after him for a change. After all, he has looked after me all his life." John picked up a blanket off the other bed and gently placed it around Sam and Dean. He ran a hand down Dean's cheek softly.  
"He was so cute at this age, hey?" Sam looked stunned at John's softly spoken words.

"Yeah. Hey have you got that camera?" John smiled and went to his bag and dug down to the bottom and pulled out a battered old 35mm camera. Sam pulled the blanket away from Dean's face so John could get a shot of the reversed positions. He took a few just to be sure and Sam tried to put Dean's thumb in his mouth to make it more embarrassing but Dean wouldn't play along, refusing the thumb when Sam tried to push it in.  
"Don't bother Sam. He never even took a dummy when he was a baby. Don't forget his brain is still twenty one, he is likely to smack you one." While Dean slept peacefully on, John and Sam talked about the hunt John had found in Omaha. It was a black dog and it seemed to be ramping up its hunting quota. They decided after Dean had been asleep for an hour to get on the road and hope that Dean would turn back before they got there. Sam bundled into the back seat holding Dean in his arms while John got their bags together. Sam was concerned that Dean didn't wake during the transfer to the car but John simply stated that Dean must feel safe and secure in his brother's arms.

Dean came awake after an hour on the road and was instantly embarrassed to have fallen asleep on Sam's shoulder. "Sorry Sammy." Dean tried to get off his lap but Sam held him to his chest.  
"Just sit here Dean. Dads going to stop for dinner soon then I will get back in the front. Plus you can see out the window easier up here." Sam joked lightly but held a hand on Dean's chest suggesting he wanted Dean to stay with him.  
"I'm not a baby you know Sammy." Sam smiled into Dean's soft hair loving the way his cute little voice sounded saying his name.  
"I know." Dean seemed to relax slightly and placed a hand on Sam's arm as he looked out the window.  
"Where we going anyway?" Dean's normal voice would have been rough and deep but it came out squeaky and light.  
"Omaha. That hunt we were talking about. It's a black dog upping the body count. Dad wants to put a stop to it as soon as possible." Sam went on to explain the hunt while Dean watched out the window. Sam wasn't sure if Dean was taking it all in but he kept talking anyway, happy to be conversing with his brother in such a free and easy way. Lately there had been so many arguments between him and his Dad and Dean was always the one caught in the middle trying to keep the peace. It made for some awkward conversation when they did talk without their Dad home.

For some reason he liked looking after Dean while he was small. He thought maybe it was an opportunity to get closer to his brother before he left for school. He felt guilt for wanting to leave but knew he would have to. Maybe it would give Dean some peace when he was gone. Less arguments to sort out. Sam sighed and pulled Dean closer to his chest earning a squirm and a huff from his older/younger brother. Dean fell to sleep in Sam's arms an hour later but Sam didn't know until twenty minutes later when John pulled over at a diner to eat. Dean started when Sam opened the door and he had to hold him as he started to slip out. "Whoa, you ok Dean?"  
"Yeah just startled me is all."  
"Come on, let's go eat."Sam picked Dean up and carried him inside despite Dean's protests and his threats to hide all his underwear.

Sam sat him next to the window in a booth and slipped in beside him. Dean gave him his normal eye roll when Sam did something to exasperate him and both Sam and John laughed at a six year old pulling off such an effective face. When the waitress came Dean tried again for coffee but the best John would allow was a coke and a small one at that. Dean surprised them by asking for sausages with mashed potatoes for dinner. "What? I just feel like them. Is that ok?" John turned away barley containing a smirk. That had been Dean's favorite food when he was that age. John could remember Bobby cooking it for Dean whenever he was there. He even got Bobby to teach him how to cook it when he was all of seven. It seemed little bits of his younger self were poking through. Dean managed to put most of his smaller sized meal away and the waitress fussed over him, finding him cute and beautifully mannered. John and Sam managed to hide their giggles behind their hands after Dean gave them death stares. Dean had a small amount of pie mostly to prove to his family he was still inside his much smaller frame.

They climbed back into the Impala, Sam getting in the front this time to allow Dean to lie down in peace after Sam tossed Dean a blanket which earned him a death stare. It took some time for Dean to fall to sleep. He fidgeted and opened and shut the window so many times Sam was fed up to the back teeth. Sam realized it must be the coke that John had let him have with dinner. Sam looked over at Dean and saw him fidget and blink back tiredness at the same time. Sam knew he would eventually fall asleep when the coke wore off. Dean surprised him by staying awake until after the next gas stop but he was out shortly after and he went down quickly, Sam laughing at him as he lay on his face flat out on the back seat. Sam had John pull over and he arranged Dean in a better position and tucked the blanket around him. John surprised Sam by tossing him the keys and telling him to drive carefully or his brother would wake up and give him a beating. John fell to sleep in the passenger seat after glancing a few times at the sleeping, kid sized Dean in the back. Dean slept all the way through to early breakfast where he entered the diner behind his brother with his hair sticking up every which way and looking extremely cute. Dean was too tired to grumble when the waitress fawned over him much to Sam and John's amusement until she gave Dean an extra pancake for free.

While John paid the bill Sam and Dean went to the bathroom then went outside to find John had moved the Impala to the gas station. Sam took Dean's hand and walked towards the fuel station. Sam felt Dean pull back against his hand and looked down to see Dean looking at a sign on the side of the road. Sam looked and saw it had distances to nearby towns. Sam found what had Dean's interest. Lawrence was only ten miles away. Sam smiled down at Dean but he had a frown on his small face. John actually passed through Lawrence quickly without comment and Sam looked back at Dean to see his eyes quite bright with tears as he stared out at a town he had barley seen since he was four. As they exited the town Dean's eyes flicked to Sam's, watching him then determinately out the window. No one spoke as they put the town behind them.

**_You're coming home again tomorrow,  
I'm sorry it won't be for long._**

**_Juniors eyes, Black Sabbath_**

_TBC_**_  
_**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimers and warnings see chapter 1

Beta: Many thanks to RealFunkyTown for her awesome editing skills. Any mistakes are mine not hers.

Chapter 4 

John drove on and Sam slept in the passenger seat and they got to Omaha mid morning. John got a room at a motel and drove the car over, Sam waking when John slammed the trunk closed after taking the bags in. Sam staggered out of the car sleepily and shook Dean awake. It didn't take Dean long to get his bearings this time and help with setting up the room. John instructed Sam to get a couple of hours sleep while he and Dean did some research on the hunt. They woke Sam at lunchtime with a basic idea of what was going on. Sam went and got lunch from a pizza place across the road and they sat at the table and discussed what they should do as they ate. John it was decided would interview people about the victims who were missing or who had been killed. Sam and Dean were to have a look a forest where there had been an attack. It was hilly and Dean thought the black dog might have a den in the area due to where the attacks took place and working out the pattern. Since there had been three people missing and one body found the interviews wouldn't take much time. John dropped the boys at the site and went off to do the interviews. Dean had holy water, a silver knife and a first aid kit since Sam wouldn't allow him a gun. Dean walked to a lonely area of the forest quite quickly, Sam quiet by his side. Dean slowed down when the trees thickened up quite a lot. They walked the area slowly, Dean using the most awesome tracking skills Sam had ever seen for a six year old (ok he was really twenty one) while Sam scanned the area.

Dean was walking along slowly looking at the ground and Sam was walking beside him watching his every move when he fell down a small hole in the ground and twisted his ankle. He limped out of the hole swearing lightly under his breath. He looked up to find Dean pointing at a low log on the ground. "Sit down, let me have a look."  
"Its ok Dean, I swear."  
"Yeah I know. Sit." Sam sat with a sigh knowing how stubborn Dean could be. Dean quickly had Sam's shoe and sock off and was moving Sam's foot around slowly, feeling the muscles and tendons. Sam winced slightly at the pain but it wasn't too bad, just felt sprained a little. "Best to wrap it up Sammy. Feels like a slight sprain." Sam marveled at how quickly Dean's small hands moved, deftly getting the bandage on and the sock and shoe back on before Sam could stop him. Sam stood slowly testing the joint.  
"Ok?"  
"Yeah good. Much better thanks Dean."  
"How's the pain?"  
"Manageable."  
"I would give you a piggyback but that would be kind of tough now." Dean smiled and it looked so cute on his diminutive face."All right to walk back to the road?"  
"Yeah. Are we done?"  
"Yeah it's a black dog, well, two black dogs. Looking to start a family by the looks of it. But I don't think they have been here long, hence the closeness to people. They probably came down from higher in the mountains for more food since there will be more of them soon."

Sam shook his head at the information Dean had gleaned just by looking at footprints. That was why he couldn't ask Dean to stop hunting and come to school with him. He was made for it. He was just too good and saved too many lives to leave it behind. As they got back to the road John pulled up frowning at Sam's slight limp. They drove back to the motel swapping information and decided they would get the gear they would need, have dinner and head out as soon as it got dark. John reported to Dean that he had called the Mambos phone a few times but it was still switched off meaning she might still be in transit. John went for take out Chinese and Dean took some change and headed for the drink machine in the upstairs hallway since the one closest to them was out of order. As Dean plugged quarters in a guy approached from the opposite end of the hall. They guy was thin and pale with greasy hair and looked like he spent a lot of time indoors. He pulled keys out to open a room but turned when he saw Dean. Dean was immediately creeped out by the guy and pushed the change in faster.

Dean had started to pull the cans out when the guy approached. "Hello little fellow. Are you lost?"  
"No." As Dean turned slightly the man's eyes roved Dean's face hungrily.  
"Well aren't you a handsome fellow? Where are your parents?" Dean glared at the guy but he was unperturbed and grabbed up Dean's wrist. "Let me help you find them. I have a phone in my room. I can call the desk and they can tell me your room number." Dean pulled his arm back.  
"You better let me go or you will be sorry asshole."  
"Such language from a boy of your age."  
"Well I'm a lot older than I look. Now leave me alone or get kicked in the balls, you pervert." The man looked shocked at Dean's words but he wasn't about to let his prize go just yet. He grabbed Dean under both arms with surprising strength and started to carry him up the hallway in front of him.  
"I'm going to have to call you father about your behavior you little..." He next words were cut from him as Dean swung the can of soda in his hand with all his six year old strength, but twenty one year old determination, into the guy's face.

He howled with pain as the can struck him above the eye and made a cut there. His hands squeezed Dean tighter, however, so Dean kicked as hard as he could with his feet and connected with the guy's groin. With a yell of furious pain, his grip slipped on Dean, and Dean brought the can back down on his face. With the downward momentum he hit both his nose and his lip making both a bloody mess. His grip on Dean slipped again and Dean decided help would be good at this time and yelled for Sam even as he punched and kicked anywhere he could reach. The man's arm slipped around Dean's neck and held him hanging while he swiped blood off his face quickly. As Dean struggled in the crook of one arm he punched at Dean's head with the other and Dean's struggling slowed as he was stunned far easier than he normally would have been. The choking wasn't helping his cause either. The man pulled Dean up higher checking to see if he was still conscious as he started toward his room. So far he had been lucky and no one was around not even 'Sammy'. As he hitched Dean up, Dean got a release of the crushing feeling on his windpipe, and drew in a deep breath and swung his hand still holding the soda can. As his hand was hanging low the guys groin got another blow and he let go of Dean like he was electric. The whole thing had taken about a minute but felt a lot longer. Dean fell to the ground in a heap. "Damn kid you're not worth it," he panted and kicked Dean twice in the ribs as he limped off clutching his groin. Dean had barley sat up holding his side when Sam came flying round the corner.

Sam saw a door slam shut and his brother sitting on the ground with a trickle of blood next to his eye. "Dean! What the hell happened? Are you alright?"  
"Friken guy tried to mess with me. I showed him." Dean held up the bloody dented can.  
"Crap Dean did you...?"  
"...Canned him with a can." Dean chuckled then winced as he pressed his fingers to his swelling eye. "Ouch." Sam saw blood drops on the floor leading away from them. Sam quickly pulled some tissues out of his pocket and pressed them to Dean's eyebrow examining the small cut and noticing how Dean was blinking that eye that was swimming with tears. Sam saw a redness around Dean's neck and how he was pulling breaths into his small body. He was about to follow the blood and find the guy and beat the living shit out of him when John ran around the corner.  
"What the hell's going on?"  
"Dean just clocked some guy."  
"Why Dean?"  
"He tried to pick me up and take me to his room."

John's face darkened "Lets go get this idiot." Sam helped Dean up and they followed the blood to the room and pounded on the door. The guy refused to come out and someone must have called the desk because the manager showed up just as John was about to pick the lock.  
"What's going on here?"  
"One of your customers just tried to abduct my son."  
"Holy shit." He unhooked a radio from his belt and spoke quickly into it. "Security is on its way." He bent to Dean's level. "What happened son?"  
"That jerk picked me up but I smacked him one." Dean held up the can smeared with blood. "And kicked him in the balls." Just as the manager opened his mouth to say something a security guard came around the corner at a run.  
"This young man was grabbed by the guy in 33. We need the door opened now." The security guy pulled out a master key and knocked sharply before announcing himself and opening the door with the key. The guy had locked himself in the bathroom trying to open the nailed shut small window and the guard broke the door open at John's insistence. The security guy marched the man to the front office and the manager said the police would be called. John and Sam noticed the condition of the guys face and the fact he waddled like a duck as he was led out and they shared a small smile between them.

Sam picked Dean up and carried him back to their room and John grabbed the cans of soda scattered in the hallway and some ice from the machine. Sam sat Dean on one of the beds and cleaned his face with an antiseptic wipe being gentle around his eye since there was a small cut that was still weeping blood. Sam quickly gave Dean three stitches to the small cut as it looked deep on such a small face. He wiped Dean's tiny hands over checking the petite digits for injury other then the redness and scrapes that were obvious. Dean winced when Sam gently popped a knuckle back into joint that he didn't even know was out. _Damn small knuckles._ Dean grizzled at the attention but Sam noticed him wriggling uncomfortably as he sat and pulled up his T shirt and saw redness and bruising over his ribs on one side. John had ice in two small bags that he wrapped in cloths and gave to Sam. John watched as Sam made Dean lay down and placed the ice on both areas after checking his ribs carefully. He lay Dean's small left hand on the ice on his side to help his knuckles. Sam felt Dean was very lucky to be getting away with bruising, at his size a well placed foot could easily have broken some ribs. Dean squirmed under Sam's care. "Dean just lay still would you?"  
"Dad give him a break. He is in pain. Remember how small his body is. Do we have any aspirin we can give him?" Sam's brow was furrowed with concern as he worked on his brother.  
"How do I know?" John bit back.  
"How about having a look?" Sam said angrily.  
"How about you stop ordering..."  
"Guys enough. Quarter of a normal one will do me." Dean's little voice still had a commanding ring to it. John bowed his head like he had been told off and slouched over to the sink for a glass of water while Sam fished the tablet out with one hand.

John bought the water back and got the small piece of tablet into Dean. He was about to tell Sam to eat his dinner and he would look after Dean when there was a knock at the door. John opened the door to find a cop there wanting to ask Dean some questions. John went outside with them leaving Dean in Sam's care. Dean looked up at Sam as the door shut behind their father. "Go get some food Sammy. I'm ok."  
"Man you really gave that guy a beating Dean. I'm so proud of you. Imagine that guys surprise when he picked on you. Not that he didn't deserve it. And thanks for being the peacemaker with Dad, again."  
"Its ok Sammy, it's what I do." Sam looked at Dean's earnest little eyes sure for a second he could see older Dean behind them.  
"You always clean up the mess Dean no matter what. I'm gonna miss..." Sam's eyes shimmered and he looked down.  
"Its ok Sammy you need to go, I understand."  
"There you go again trying to make it easy on me." Dean nodded and couldn't look at Sam and there were a few moments of uncomfortable silence before Sam got up and bought over some food for them both.

**_With all the pain I've watched you live within,  
I'll try my hardest not to cry  
When it is time to say goodbye._**

**_Juniors eyes, Black Sabbath_****_._**

_TBC_**_  
_**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimers and warnings see chapter 1

Beta: Many thanks to RealFunkyTown for her awesome editing skills. Any mistakes are mine not hers.

Chapter 5

John had managed to talk the police out of interviewing Dean , saying he was too stressed to be talked to and that they would go to the police station in the morning. The manager told John he had torn up his credit card receipt (not that it was any good) and would not be charging them for their stay. They wanted the family to let them know if they needed anything, including a doctor to be sent out for Dean. It turned out Dean's attacker was a wanted criminal and had plenty of evidence in his belongings to bring new charges on him pertaining to the kidnapping of young kids and other equally as heinous things. Dean tried not to show any side effects from the event so that he could go on the hunt that night. His eye was swollen partially shut his ribs hurt and he had a nice headache that he wasn't telling anyone about. After some arguing back and forth Dean was finally allowed to sit in the car and keep a lookout since he had done some good work coming up with where the dog's lair would be. John called the Mambo again before they set out, but it was again to no avail. John noticed Dean took a change of his bigger clothes with him just in case.

They had traveled ten miles along muddy roads to be as deep in the park as possible. Dean had no idea why but for the first time on this case he had a strange feeling of dread. Dean felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise and it had nothing to do with how John was driving his baby. As they pulled up John saw the parking lot was barley big enough to turn the Impala around in and fairly muddy. Dean had already bitched about the road in so he was sure to have a cow about the conditions they were about to leave the car in. John turned the engine off and was met by Dean's small face close to his over his shoulder. "Dad you need me on this. I have a bad feeling about it." Dean was standing on the back seat with his hands on the top of the front seat.  
"It's a black dog Dean, Sam and I can handle them in our sleep."  
"I know, but for some reason this feels off."  
"Dean enough. Look at your face. You have been injured enough today. Stay in the car like you were told. That's an order. You don't leave it for anything. And no sulking." John left the car and slammed the door.

Dean bit his bottom lip hard expecting to hear the other door slam shut behind Sam but instead he found Sam's face close to his over the back of the front seat. "Dean you have one of your feelings about this?" Sam knew Dean's feelings were to be trusted to the letter when it came to a hunt. Dean nodded his head and Sam was struck speechless at seeing such a young face with such a look of contemplation and worry. Sam took a few moments to gather his thoughts before he spoke. "Dad should listen to you more Dean,but then again he doesn't listen to me either." Sam expected Dean to wave him off with a laugh like he always did in situations where there were emotions involved but Dean surprised him with his serious tone when he spoke.  
"It's what Dad does Sam. He uses us and pushes us to do what he wants then leaves us and expects us to be waiting for him when he needs us. Acknowledge we know what we are doing? I might one day fly to the moon." Sam looked at Dean's face sharply.

He had never heard Dean talk about their Dad like that before. Ok, he had skated close to the edge once or twice after a particularly brutal training session or if Sam had been injured in a hunt, but otherwise he backed John 100%. "Are you ok Dean?" Dean knew Sam was referring to the incident from earlier in the day.  
"Probably not Sammy." Dean breathed a huge sigh for such a small boy and rubbed the back of his hand over his chin, a gesture so much a part of his brother that Sam had a slight pang to see him back to his normal self. "I just...sometimes revenge doesn't feel like enough. When he doesn't need us what happens?"  
"I don't know Dean." Dean's eyes searched Sam's for a moment and Sam saw conflicting emotions beneath the surface. Sam felt like gabbing Dean up in a hug the look was so out of place on an innocent face.  
"Anyway, you should get going before Dad comes back for you." Dean could hear John rummaging around in the trunk. "Be careful Sammy. Keep an eye on Dad." Sam leaned over and pulled Dean into a short gentle hug.  
"Thanks Dean." Sam opened the door.  
"And Sam."  
"Yeah?" Dean bit his lip and looked like he was about to say something he didn't want to say.  
"Stay low, ok Sammy?" Sam frowned.  
"Ok Dean." Sam nodded, looking seriously at Dean's worried face before stepping out of the car. Dean watched his family load their weapons up for the hunt, unhappy to be on the inside looking out. He watched closely as they shrugged their bags over their shoulders and headed north to the left of the car. As they disappeared into the scrub Dean saw Sam turn his head back for a second with a nod before turning back. Dean slipped to the floor and pulled a 44mm handgun loaded with silver out from under the front passenger seat. It always paid to have a back up weapon. Dean had learned that lesson a long time ago.

Sam followed John deep into the woods as the track narrowed. He was deep in thought about what Dean had said. About John and about tonight's hunt. Dean always had a good natural instinct about hunting and a good sixth sense, often having a weapon pulled out before evil materialized. Sam saw the foot prints fairly quickly with his flashlight and had to agree with Dean's assessment earlier in the day and over ten miles away. John and Sam conferred silently with a look and spread out leaving twelve feet between them. Sam smelled the dogs and immediately bent down to one knee doing as Dean had said and staying low. John frowned purposely and Sam motioned for him to get down. John got down with a sigh and kept his sights on the tangle of trees ahead. They waited for half an hour before there was a scraping sound to the right of Sam and they saw the faint outline of a large dog. The dogs had obviously been out scouting around and returned to their den. John rose slowly and moved away from Sam for a better shot. Sam used a hand signal to tell John to crouch as he walked but John was intent on the dog. John sighted the dog and flicked off the safety and fired within a second. But the dog's hearing was good and he reacted to the sound before the shot was fired. The bullet glanced the dog as he shied away. Sam flicked his safety off to fire but saw the other dog slam into his father from behind.

John sprawled to the ground and both dogs attacked his father viciously. Sam couldn't shoot the dogs so close to John so he fired in the air. One of the dogs skittered away but the other kept up its attack. Sam ran and kicked and hit at the dog with the flashlight to get it away from John. John was moving slowly with his hands across his face telling Sam the dog had got at least one good one in. The dog turned and went for him and he was caught in a tangle of legs. Sam remembered Dean's words and went down to his knees just as the other dog flew overhead. Sam managed to bring his gun up and shot the dog that was trying to maul him. He pushed the dog off and went to stand but the other dog jumped him from behind and knocked him to the ground. His gun went flying and Sam had no hope to find it in the dark so he pushed himself up and bolted back down the path hoping to get to the bag before the dog was on him again. He had a knife but the dog was extremely pissed at having been shot and its partner killed so Sam didn't want to risk getting to close to it. Sam ran as fast as his long legs could carry him toward the bags but as he neared them he heard the dog gaining on him. Without thinking he adjusted course heading for the car and increased his speed. He tore through the undergrowth with the dog on his ass tripping on roots and rocks and limping on his now aching ankle.

As he came to the car he was actually feeling in his pocket for the keys when he recalled Dean was in there and had the body of a six year old. Sam veered off towards the front of the car and bolted for the scrub. This area was unknown to him but he didn't have time to slow down so his tripping and stumbling became worse. As Sam ran he had to dodge through tall trees so he couldn't see that he was running into a dead end of a cliff wall until he was on it. Sam skidded to a halt almost falling into the rocks only just visible even though the moon was out. Sam could see that although the cliff was only about 20 feet high it was sheer meaning a quick climb was out. Sam spun to face the dog drawing his knife and thinking how much it felt like a toothpick against this growling, snarling beast. Sam drew himself up and clutched the knife tight in his hand as the dog started its leap for his throat.

**_Junior's eyes, they couldn't disguise the pain,  
His father was leaving and Junior's grieving again.  
Innocent eyes watched the man who had gave everything,  
Junior's sorrow, he knew what tomorrow would bring.  
Yeah!_**

**_Juniors eyes, Black Sabbath_**

_TBC  
_


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimers and warnings see chapter 1

Beta: Many thanks to RealFunkyTown for her awesome editing skills. Any mistakes are mine not hers.

Chapter 6

Dean saw Sam go running past the car heading away from it fast and jumped out just as the black dog passed him. Dean ran along with his handgun feeling as heavy as a cannon with his short little arms. Dean had been studying the maps in the car and knew this area went to a dead end. Unfortunately Sam didn't know all that. Knowing all that he did, he swung left and took a short cut that lead up to an overhang to the left side of the short cliff. As he skidded to the edge of the cliff the dog was about to leap at a cornered Sam. Dean flicked the safety off and aimed at the dog's head. "Down Sam!" he yelled. His aim was true and the dog went down, its head sliding to a stop between Sam's feet. Dean scrambled down the small path to the cliff wall, running up to Sam as he crouched over the dog. Sam breathed a big breath when he saw just how close the dog had come to him. Its nose touched his back leg. Dean offered a hand to Sam and pulled him up. "All right there Sammy?"  
"Stay low. You were so right Dean. I think you saved me like three times with that."  
"No problem Sammy. Where's Dad?"  
"Oh shit. One of the dogs went for him. We better get back to him."  
"Ok. You alright with that?" Dean pointed to the dog's body. Sam turned the dog over, grabbed it by the tail and dragged it behind them as they walked back the way that Sam had run. Sam showed Dean where the bags were and he fished out a first aid kit, salt and lighter fluid. They found John in the clearing with the other dead dog. He was holding his right hand on his left forearm.

Dean grabbed a flashlight off the ground and shone it on John's arm. He could see blood on John's arm. He opened the kit and pulled out some gauze pads and a bandage. "Dean you were told to stay in the car."  
"Its alright Dad. Dean saved my ass, literally."  
"He still should have followed orders like he was told."  
"Dad are you listening? Dean killed the dog. I would have been killed without him. You're just pissed because he was right about this hunt and you didn't listen like always."  
"Are you giving me mouth in the middle of a hunt?"  
"The hunt is over in case you didn't notice. Dean finished it." Dean was so used to his father and brother arguing that it was like normal for him these days. Like being home, if he had one. He hated them arguing but he knew soon there would be no arguing. Sam would be gone and there would only be silence. He wrapped John's arm and noticed that there was blood on his shirt but less of it. Deciding he must be alright if he was up to arguing, Dean found a hole in the ground and tired to drag the bodies over to it. Dean was more or less wheel spinning with the heavy weight and scowled when Sam picked up the weights easily and threw them together. Dean sprayed the bodies and salted them, lighting them up when John and Sam stood sullenly on opposite sides of the fire.

Dean huffed a sigh as the embers started to die and he walked back to the bag for the foldout shovel. When he returned the rest of his family were standing where he left them so he tried shoveling some dirt over the ash. Digging dirt was a lot harder with a six year old body and found his hands struggled to grip the handle. He wrestled for a few minutes before Sam came over and helped out. He didn't take over but instead shadowed Dean and helped him cover the leftovers with dirt. While they were working John wandered back to the car, taking the bags with him and throwing them in the trunk. Sam walked back to the car with his hand on Dean's shoulder. For whatever reason Dean wasn't throwing him off but grinning back up at him. Sam knew Dean was way smarter than he pretended to be so he had probably worked out that their time together as brothers was about to be greatly reduced and was enjoying it while he had it.

They loaded the shovel in the car and Dean pulled out the largest first aid kit and slipped into the front seat, sliding over to where John sat behind the wheel. Dean switched the interior light on and pulled John's arm to him. "It's ok Dean. Sam can do it later."  
"I'm doin' it now so you don't bled all over my baby." John saw the look on Dean's face and handed his arm over with no more complaint. Sam might have perfected puppy dog eyes when he was about six but Dean developed 'I'm a stubborn ass that will sit like this all day to get what I want'. It didn't help that he had the attitude to match. Dean put twelve quick stitches in John's arm and placed a dressing over it then insisted on checking his side as well. Dean declared it a few light scratches that he holy watered and dressed. He checked John for concussion with the mini flashlight in the kit and declared him ok to drive. Dean swapped seats with Sam who had been watching Dean work from the back seat with amusement. John started the car and headed back to the motel. Dean was sound asleep in the back seat after his busy day and Sam and John packed up the room. They drove west looking to put the motel and the hassles involved with it behind them. John drove for three hours before pulling up at a motel whose office was open. Sam carried Dean in and laid him on one of the beds.

John raised an eyebrow at Sam."He won the bet fair and square Dad. He deserves the bed. Plus look at him." Dean's face was a sight.  
"I thought you would say that. It's no problem. I got the single next door as well. Do you want to stay with your brother?" Sam was surprised at being given the choice.  
"Yeah. Is that ok?"  
"Yeah. Don't forget to ice up his bruises. He will bitch about it but it needs doing. I am going to run across to the diner and grab some hot sandwiches since dinner was so light. I will bring back some ice."  
"Thanks Dad." Sam had no idea why John was being so accommodating but a night alone with his brother sounded like just the thing after the last few days. Sam got the room sorted for the night, including both of Dean's bags. Sam put the heater on knowing Dean might be a bit cold after being outside and he was about to have ice put on him again. John turned up with food and ice shortly after and surprised Sam by stroking Dean's little injured face softly before wishing them goodnight.

Sam woke Dean slowly and helped him sit up. Dean was a little confused as to where he was and how he got there. Sam filled him in and laughed as Dean's eyebrows lifted as high as they would go on his six year old face when he told him that his Dad had got the room next door and they were alone for the night. "He must have hit his head when the dog landed on him, " Dean murmured softly.  
"Actually I think it's you."  
"Me?"  
"Yeah he keeps looking at you funny. Like he is thinking back to what it was like when you were six," Sam said nodded equally as slowly.  
"That is probably why he is leaving us alone tonight. He is sick of being reminded of that time." Dean's voice was still soft.  
"Why...wait. He had only been hunting a short time but it hadn't been that long since the fire. He was hitting the bottle pretty hard around then." Dean raised an eyebrow."Bobby told me a few years ago when I asked." Dean looked at Sam critically then let it pass.  
"What did you wake me for anyway? It's like one AM." Dean asked trying to change the subject.  
"You need to ice your head and side and there's food."  
"Food first," Dean yelled suddenly and jumped up and ran to the table making Sam laugh with the cuteness that was Dean.

They ate at the table with Dean swinging his tiny feet back and forth with unused energy. Although where he was getting it from Sam had no idea. It had been an eventful day for them all. Sam examined Dean's eye when they had finished eating and Dean squirmed and said he wanted a shower. Sam let him have a shower but told him to leave his shirt off so he could ice his side when he got out. He was back less than ten minutes later, which was a record for Dean. Sam noticed he had spiked his blonde hair up haphazardly. Sam also noticed the nice bruise on his side. "Hey look Sammy a nice smooth shave." Dean showed Sam the side of his face. "Smooth as a six year olds face." Dean laughed and fell down on the bed where Sam was waiting with the ice. Sam placed it gently on his side and face then flicked the TV on to distract Dean. Sam threatened to let Dean watch only cartoons at his age but the joke was lost because Dean just nodded and said that was ok.

Sam eventually found a sitcom and they sat together and watched until it was time to pull the ice off. Sam looked at Dean's side as he was about to pull his T Shirt on. He was concerned about the amount of bruising there. Sam knew that a normal six year old would be curled up in bed in pain but Dean was storing the pain away like he always did. Dean noticed Sam looking at his side. "Hey Sammy, watch this." Dean pushed his small belly out as far as he could. "So much for the six pack hey?" Dean laughed. Sam found himself joining in with Dean's light laughter. Dean kept pushing his belly in and out making Sam laugh.  
"Dean don't that's gotta hurt your ribs, be careful." Sam found himself laughing even though he was concerned.  
"Nope. I'm cool." Dean slipped his T shirt on and then a hoodie, not caring that it was so big it was down to his feet. He jumped up on to one of the beds and leaned against the headboard watching TV.

Sam had a thought and went to the small kitchen and made two cups of tea with plenty of milk and took them over to Dean's bed. He sat next to Dean and handed him a cup. "It's not coffee but it might fill the gap."  
"Tea Sam?"  
"Yeah, sorry Dad said no coffee, coke, M&Ms or red cordial."  
"How about a beer?"  
"Huh, you would probably be off your face after half a glass."  
"A cheap drunk. I haven't been one of those since I was fifteen." Sam smiled sadly at Dean's statement.  
"No beer. Drink your tea. It might help you sleep." Dean gave Sam a salute and half hearted surly look but drank the tea anyway. Sam ended up being right it did fill a small gap from all the coffee he normally drank. Dean got bored with TV before his tea was finished and said he wanted to play cards. Sam wasn't keen but gave in assuming Dean would last all of ten minutes and be out. They played on Sam's bed with the covers on Dean's bed pulled back so Sam could dump him there when he fell to sleep. Sam was yawning and blinking with tiredness an hour later and Dean was grinning over at him having won almost all his matchsticks.

Sam played his last hand laying on his side struggling to keep his eyes open. Dean chuckled as he threw down his winning cards and snatched up the matchsticks on the bed between them effectively ending the game. He looked over and saw Sam just about asleep as he smiled softy at him. Dean packed up the cards and matchsticks and pulled the covers over Sam even though it was a fair job with his small size. Dean tucked the blankets in tight around Sam's head and he snuggled in tight. "Night Dean." he said sleepily.  
"Night tiger." Sam's eyes popped open at Dean's words. He hadn't heard Dean say that since he was fourteen. Dean looked Sam square in the eyes and nudged his chin with his knuckles. Sam closed his eyes and on impulse Dean finished the long ago routine as he used to with a soft kiss to Sam's forehead. Dean tucked himself into bed feeling Sam's sleepy eyes on him. He had managed to freak himself and Sam out with something he hadn't done in years. It made him yearn slightly for the past and simpler times when he didn't have to worry about what would happen when Sam left. Dean rolled over to face Sam and watched his sleeping face until he fell asleep.

**_They're coming home again tomorrow,  
I'm sorry it won't be for long.  
With all the pain I've watched you live within,  
I'll try my hardest not to cry  
When it is time to say goodbye._**

**_Juniors eyes, Black Sabbath_**

TBC**_  
_**


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimers and warnings see chapter 1

Beta: Many thanks to RealFunkyTown for her awesome editing skills. Any mistakes are mine not hers.

Chapter 7

The boys slept in until late since they had been up so late the night before. John woke them with a sharp rap on the door. "You boys comin' to breakfast?" They woke fast, Dean pulling out a knife that looked as big as he did."What's up Dad?" Sam mumbled as he sat up.  
"I am on the phone with Mambo Tremere. She apologized to Dean. Apparently that was not meant for Dean. She wants you to talk to her so she can unlock it. She says she needs to feel your presence or power or some such rubbish to do it." John walked to the bed and sat next to Dean. "Wow Dean, your eye. How does it feel?" Dean shrugged and held his hand out for the phone. John handed him the phone after pressing the button to take her off hold. Dean took the phone and introduced himself politely. Sam watched with amazement as he talked to the Mambo and listened carefully to her instructions after a quiet pause. Dean wished her all the best for the rest of her holiday and apologized for disturbing her. Dean pressed the end button and handed back the phone. He blushed slightly at John's open mouthed look of incredulity knowing it was because he was nice to someone who had put a spell on him for a few days. Dean was more forgiving in nature than John would ever be so he knew it would be best to change the subject.  
"All sorted," he said as he handed the phone back. Dean jumped up from bed to get his things for a shower. Sam saw his eye for the first time. It looked sore and painful. He got up to have a look, easily overpowering Dean when he tried to wriggle away.  
"So if she unlocked the spell how come you are still little?" Sam said to distract Dean as he grasped Dean's head by the chin and back of his head in his big hands.  
"She said it will happen tonight while I am a sleep like last time."  
"And you believed her?" John was still sitting on the edge of Dean's bed.  
"What choice do I have?" Sam inspected Dean's eye thoroughly acknowledging it was a lot less swollen but the myriad of dark colors had him concerned. Sam grabbed up the mini flashlight from the first aid kit and shone it in Dean's slightly bloodshot eye. He was a little worried about permanent damage to the eye. Sam held a finger out and had Dean close one eye and follow his finger with his injured eye. Once Sam was satisfied Dean grabbed up his things for the shower.  
"When you are finished Dr. Sam," he grizzled as he closed the door behind him.

When the boys were showered and ready they went out for breakfast at the diner down the block. Dean sat next to Sam at the small table and a waitress appeared to take their order. As they ordered, Kerri, their waitress looked at Dean with concern then at Sam and John. They ate in silence and Kerri fussed over Dean every time she came to the table. She leaned close to Dean when she was taking away the empty plates and muttered something in Dean's ear. Sam saw Dean frown and mumbled something back to her. She said something very low and Dean matched her tone. She walked off without the tenseness in her shoulders that she had since she saw Dean's face when she took their order. As they walked back to the motel Sam asked Dean what Kerri had said to him. "She asked me if I needed help."  
"Help with what?"  
"Help from you and Dad." Sam came to a dead stop.  
"What, she thought we were beating you?"  
"Well Dad specifically, but yeah." John stopped with a look of thunder on his face.  
"Damn I didn't think about that. I should have been more careful. You should stay inside until you change back."  
"What are we going to do until then?" Sam asked. John looked up then breathed out a sigh.  
"Well we could stay locked down for the day. Well you two could, while I look for work."  
"Sounds good." Sam agreed liking the idea to talk to Dean one on one without John interfering. It seemed easier while he was in a younger body. He had no idea why.

Dean looked like he was going to protest but then shrugged his tiny shoulders and started to walk again. Sam was overcome by the cuteness of Dean's little face never having had a little brother before. He stepped up behind him and picked him up and swung him up onto his shoulders. "Sam let me down." Dean grabbed hold of Sam's head so he wouldn't fall down.  
"No way Dean. I've never had a chance to do this before." Sam lopped off in a run and Dean had to hang on hard to avoid falling off. By the time Sam's feet found the parking lot of the motel Dean had two fists full of Sam's hair but Sam was laughing even though Dean was almost tearing some hair out. Sam didn't put Dean down as he slid the key in and opened the door. Dean had to duck when Sam went through the doorway and Sam walked around the room without putting Dean down.  
"Sam let me down."  
"No. I'm having too much fun."  
"I'll pee on you."  
"You better not." Dean grinned wickedly but then had an idea. He put his little hands under Sam's chin and wriggled them tickling Sam softly. Sam laughed and Dean tickled harder going down Sam's neck getting more of a reaction out of him. Sam staggered to the bed and went to get Dean off his shoulders but Dean was to fast slipping down Sam's back and jamming his hands in Sam's arm pits tickling him again and making Sam snort with laughter. Dean soon had Sam lying on the bed giggling with laughter as he sat on his chest and tickled him with everything his small limbs could put out. Sam knew he could have pushed Dean off easily but he didn't want to hurt his brother. In all the training drills they had done over the years Dean had never hurt him even though Sam knew he was fully capable.

John stood in the doorway and watched as Dean reduced his younger brother to tears he was laughing so much. He realized he hadn't heard Sam laugh like that for a few years. Maybe that was why Dean was using humor so much of late, he missed the lighter side of his brother. John knew Sam had one, it had just been so darn long since John had heard Sam relax and have some real fun. He closed the door softly behind him and headed down to the nearest store. Dean finally let Sam up when he had tears running down his face and was panting for breath. Dean went to the bathroom and brought back a warm, damp cloth and wiped Sam's face. He was still the big brother after all. Sam lay still and allowed Dean to care for him as he caught his breath. He had really had fun with Dean and tried to think of the last time he had laughed so long and hard. Sure Dean was a funny guy always making jokes and cracking Sam up, particularly the last few months when things had gotten tense between him and his father. Sam even recalled Dean making jokes a few time during particularly tense hunts when he had been about to bite John's head off about the way he was treating them. Sam sat up slowly as Dean took the cloth back to the bathroom. Dean came back out and Sam looked at him with a grin. "What do you want to do?" Dean gave Sam a raised eyebrow causing Sam to grin more.  
"With the day. We are stuck inside." Dean scratched the back of his head looking a lot like his older self.  
"I don't know Sammy. What have we got? TV or cards."  
"I have some books if you want to read." Dean looked at Sam with distaste.  
"Let's save that as a last resort." Dean flicked the TV on and sat against the headboard of his bed and settled down to watch. Sam lay back on his, settling into a relaxed mood as he watched. Dean got up after only fifteen minutes and moved about the small kitchen boiling the kettle and doing something with cups.

Sam had almost fallen to sleep when Dean appeared at his elbow with a cup. Sam sat up slightly as he took it and watched as Dean greedily drank from his cup as he sat down. "Dean its not…?" Sam sniffed his cup and got a whiff of the coffee in his cup. Dean only nodded as he sipped from his cup holding it protectively in two hands. "Dean you can't… I give up. Just don't drink too much. You will be up all night. Hey do you think you will change back if you don't sleep tonight."Sam's tone was thoughtful but Dean's eyebrows arched in surprise. He looked at his cup with a look of want and distrust.  
"I hope so. One cup won't hurt will it?"  
"Let's hope not. It's early yet, you will just have to burn it off today."  
"In this piddley little room?"  
"What do you suggest?"  
"Well if my body was the right size, I could go to a bar pick up a …"  
"Don't finish that Dean. I don't want the mental image."  
"Damn junks the wrong size anyway." Dean lifted his waistband. "Stupid little body." Dean finished his coffee and took the cup to the sink. Dean had just finished rinsing his cup out when there was a knock at the door. Dean opened it with one foot behind it.  
"Sam don't let Dean open the door while he is like this. He is too little."  
"Watch what you are saying old man." John felt something hard and thin on the back of his thigh and looked down to see a blade against it. Dean was grinning up at his Dad but John could see the steel behind his eyes even in such a small body. John grinned down at Dean and he removed the blade tucking it away so quickly on his body John had no idea where it was. John ruffled Dean's hair and moved to Sam's bed and dropped a paper sack.  
"Here is some stuff to keep you two amused for the day. Lunch is in there but I will bring dinner in later. I won't be far away."  
"Thanks Dad," both boys chimed as Sam took a look in the bag.  
"Dad there's lots of chocolate in here. You said to keep him off it." John grinned.  
"Have fun boys." Sam groaned. There was always a catch with his Dad.

Dean tipped the bag over on the bed as John shut the door behind him. Sam saw all the brightly colored candy wrappers and knew he would be in for a long day. They were all Dean's favorites. Sam suggested a game of cards to keep Dean away from the chocolate. Dean compromised by saying the winner should get a candy bar. Sam reluctantly agreed and pulled all the dirty tricks he knew to beat Dean. The only thing was Dean taught him all the dirty tricks and had him every time. Sam was only happy no one was there to see him get beaten by a six year old. Dean ate his candy bar with relish poking his chocolate covered tongue out at Sam as he put away the matchsticks. "I know." Dean hopped up from the bed and opened a small cupboard in the kitchen and pulled out an ice cream pail and tossed it on the floor. He snatched the cards up from Sam's bed where they lay and split the deck in two handing half to Sam. Dean scooted up the bed so that he and Sam were level. "Winner gets a prize."  
"Not a candy bar?"  
"You aren't getting anything else out of me Sammy. I'm six, so young and innocent."  
"Yeah right." Sam snorted "Were you ever innocent?"  
"Probably not." Dean laughed.  
"You wanna go first?"  
"No way Sammy. Loser from the last game goes first. You know the rules."  
"I was just thinking cause you are littler you should get the first go." Dean nudged Sam with an elbow.  
"Just cause my arms are shorter doesn't mean my aim is going to be as shit as yours." Sam laughed and threw his first card. It skimmed the top of the container and landed by the door. "Oh Sammy over shoots again like he does with the girls," teased Dean.  
"Shut up smart ass," Sam groused.

Dean threw his first card which landed in the tub without touching the sides."Yes!" Dean shouted and jumped up on the bed. Sam dropped his head in defeat and groaned as Dean jumped up and down on the bed with his arms raised. "Kicked his ass, again! Sammy 0 , Dean 2." Dean went to step off the bed but his tiny feet caught in the blanket and he tumbled to the ground with a thump. Sam was jerked out of his internal musing by the bang on the floor and a muffled cry of pain. Sam looked down to see Dean lying on the ground face first. Sam jumped up and rolled Dean over slowly to see his eyes bright with tears and his bottom lip caught in his teeth. He was blinking his eyes furiously as if he was trying to stay awake.  
"God Dean. Are you ok?" Dean attempted to pull out of Sam's arms but Sam held him tight. "Where does it hurt?" Dean shook his head vehemently, indicating he didn't want Sam to know. Sam could see his lip trembling however so he knew something was up. He looked closely at Dean's face and saw his forehead and chin were bright red and starting to swell.  
"Dean did you land on your face?" Dean nodded as he blinked up at Sam. Sam lifted him off the floor to the bed but held him in his arms. "Dean where are you hurt? Talk to me." Dean shuddered with pain as he leaned his head away from Sam and struggled to get up. "Lay still and tell me what to do." Dean's eyes drooped shut and his little body went limp. "Dean, Dean wake up." Dean's mouth opened as his head fell back and blood steamed from his lips. "Oh shit Dean." Sam tipped Dean to the side and used his T Shirt to wipe the blood from Dean's mouth. Lucky it was black and it didn't look like he was trying to murder his brother. Sam was about to get up and go grab their Dad when Dean came to.

He moved restlessly in Sam's arms until he was sitting up holding his forehead with his little hand. "How do you feel?"  
"Pretty stupid. So much for the victory dance." More blood dribbled out of Dean's mouth as spoke but Sam breathed a sigh of relief that he had told a joke. He couldn't be too bad if he was making fun of himself, Sam reasoned. But then Sam remembered who he was dealing with. The very same guy who saved John from a poltergeist one night and drove them back to the motel where he patched the two of them up including giving himself thirty stitches without waking Sam because it was a school night. Dean was only fifteen at the time. Sam gently put Dean down and went for a first aid kit from his bag. He came back to the bed and pulled some gauze out of the kit.  
"Come on Dean open up. I gotta see the damage."  
"I'm ok Sammy." Sam saw more blood dribble out of his mouth.  
"You have two choices. You either open up for me or I go get Dad." Dean scowled and opened his mouth slowly. Sam used the gauze to wipe Dean's mouth gently so he could see what the damage was. Sam found Dean's inside bottom lip had a long shallow cut in it that was slowly seeping blood. Sam tucked the gauze inside his mouth after giving the rest a thorough examination. "Keep that in there, Dean, so it helps that cut stop bleeding. It's only little but being a gum it's bleeding pretty bad." Dean nodded and Sam turned his attention to Dean's forehead. Sam squeezed the area softly watching Dean's eyes closely for signs of pain. Sam checked him for concussion but he seemed ok now although he may get some bruising out of it. If Dean hadn't been such an injury prone person normally Sam would have been worried about how many injuries he was getting in the last couple of days. At least he hadn't been hurt on the hunt itself. As Sam finished his inspection he saw Dean's bright little eyes on his. "I think you will be ok Dean, although you might have another scar to your collection. On the inside this time." Sam indicated Dean's mouth. "Oh and this one." Sam's hand brushed the small cut next to his eyebrow from the day before.  
"Maybe they will disappear when I change back." Dean mumbled.  
"Lets hope so."  
"Yeah. I think I have enough as it is." Sam looked at Dean's serious face.  
"Dean, do you ever think about getting out?" Dean looked down at his hands.

Sam pulled his head up gently by the chin and tugged the piece of gauze out. The bleeding had stopped. "Dean, answer me. Do you?"  
"Sometimes Sammy but who would look after Dad?"  
"Dad. He doesn't really need us."  
"I hope he does Sam because what else do I have? This life is all I know." Sam sighed.  
"But look what it's doing to you. Don't you want to be normal?"  
"This life is hell Sammy but it's meant to be. Who else will do it if I don't?"  
"Are you talking about revenge for Mom or the hunting things?"  
"Both, I guess."  
"Dean you don't have to be responsible for everyone you know."  
"I know. Can we change the subject? Because this is way too close to chick flick for me." Sam nodded slowly.  
"But you are having ice on your head."  
"No way. I'm ok now."  
"Do you want Dad to put the ice on?"  
"I am so beating your ass up tomorrow." While Sam got the ice Dean pulled the ice cream tub closer to the bed and lay down with the cards separating red from black. When he had them sorted he handed Sam the reds. Sam placed the ice on Dean's forehead and Dean indicated for Sam to take the first shot.  
"I can't see the tub Dean."  
"That's the whole point. We have to '_use the force'".  
_"I knew Dad should never have let you see those movies. Are you sure you don't have a concussion? This is pretty stupid even for you."  
"Hey! You don't like it because you think you will lose."  
"Do not. It's just a dumb game."  
"How do you know if you have never played before?" Sam huffed a sigh knowing he wouldn't win this one and it would be better just to get the pain over with. Sam flicked his first card and Dean flicked one straight after.

They fell into a rhythm of flicking cards Dean sometimes nudging Sam to put him off, Sam doing the same back. Sam actually enjoyed the game and had fun laughing at Dean as he told Sam to use the force if he wanted to be a Jedi knight. "You just watch yourself. We're wanted men. I have the death sentence on twelve systems," Dean said looking at Sam.  
"Wanted boy you mean," chuckled Sam.  
"Watch out. A tremor in the Force." Dean flicked another card. Sam pulled the ice off Dean's head and flicked a card. The card flicked down and slid across the floor into view at the end of the bed. Dean looked Sam in the eye with a serious expression.  
"I find your lack of faith disturbing."  
"Ha what faith? There is no such thing as '_the force_'."  
"The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together."  
"Deep Luke."  
"Obi-Wan."  
"Oh, sorry ,Obi-Wan." The game finished with Sam getting three cards into the tub and Dean getting four. Dean took his candy bar but didn't jump up and down like an idiot this time. Sam found noodles in the bag for lunch and made them up. Dean ate his sitting at the table while Sam ate his standing up watching Dean eat. Sam felt it was lucky they were having noodles because Dean's mouth looked a little tender. Sam noticed Dean was careful to push the food well back in his mouth every time and kept his chewing light.

After lunch Sam decided to get his school books out. He wasn't quite finished with high school but all he really had to do was take his exams and he was done. He would be back at school in just over a week and the downward slope to the finish would begin. He took his books to the table as Dean threw away the cartons from lunch and sat chewing a candy bar. Sam noticed he was taking very small bites and eating very slowly. By the time Dean had finished Sam had his Math book out and was struggling with his worst subject, Algebra. Sam frowned as he worked not realizing he was muttering softly until he felt Dean's gaze on him. Sam looked up to see Dean with a questioning look on his face. "What Dean, sorry?"  
"I said you are doing that the hard way aren't you?"  
"It's algebra Dean it's meant to be hard."  
"No it's not math is easy."  
"You think math is easy? Since when were you good at math?"  
"Since always Sammy boy. Let me have a look."  
"Don't call me that. You want to help me?" Sam had stopped asking for Dean's help with homework when Dean finished at school. He knew Dean would help him if he asked but he assumed Dean would want to forget school work as soon as he left.  
"I've helped you with homework since you were in first grade Sam."  
"Yeah I know, but I thought you would want to forget all this stuff."

"Nope need to keep it fresh for when my kid brother asks for help." Sam looked down at Dean's earnest little face with his wide, bright eyes.  
"Ok. Thanks Dean." Sam watched as Dean looked at his work and pulled over his pad and pencil.  
"This is number two right?" Sam nodded as Dean wrote the equation on the pad. "You're doing it like this." Dean did the sum Sam had been working on only twice as quick. Sam nodded, understanding what Dean was doing. "To solve complex equations, the one thing to remember is that you need to get the variable isolated before you can solve the equation." Sam watched as Dean found the variable quickly then showed Sam how he did it. Dean completed the sum showing Sam the way he would do it. "The way you were doing it you would have trouble with the algebraic expressions, right?" Sam looked at Dean in surprise.  
"That's what my teachers have been telling me but I have no idea what they are talking about." Dean explained what they were talking about and went over quadratic equations, quadratic formulas, inverse variations and exponents. Dean turned Sam's math book over to integers, logical reasoning and geometric visualization, statistics, probability and similarity. By the time Dean had finished going over them Sam felt the weight of worry lift off his shoulders.  
"Ok." Dean turned back to Sam. "I'm thinking parallel structure has you in the writing area. Do you wanna go over it?" Sam was taken back that Dean knew his weakness in the writing area even though he hadn't looked at his books in over a year.  
"Yeah it is. Do you feel up to going over it?"  
"No problem Sammy." Dean put Sam through his paces with the parallel structure, branching out slightly to other parts of writing just to make sure Sam had his head around the subject properly. Sam closed his books and put them away before pulling a bar of chocolate out of the bag and handing it to Dean.  
"Thanks Dean. I think I learned more in the last two hours than the last two months."  
"As long as you remember it for the test."  
"Yeah I think it would be hard to forget my older brother reduced to a six year old's body teaching me math." Dean laughed but Sam noticed he put the candy away in his bag rather than eat it. "You ok Dean?"  
"Yeah just so full I may throw up. Do you want to work on the reading section?"  
"What, read to you?"  
"Yeah. I can take it for a bit." Sam pulled out his battered copy of _The Red Badge of Courage _and lay down on his bed, leaning against the headboard. Dean surprised him by jumping up onto the bed and laying his little head next to Sam's stomach as he lay down.

Sam started to read and every now and again Dean would throw in a question about what he had read out. Sam noticed Dean's voice getting slurred after a while and Sam maneuvered Dean's little head around so that it was on his stomach. Dean tried to sit up but Sam held him down. "Just relax Dean. You used to do this with me all the time when I was little. Let me have the chance for once." Dean's eyes showed how conflicted he was at showing any perceived weakness to his brother but then settled back down and let Sam have his moment. Sam continued to read and Dean continued to question him way longer than he thought he would. Eventually though Dean fell to sleep and Sam found his fingers stroking the soft blonde hair. John slipped into the room and saw a sight that made his eyes widen. Sam reading a book on one of the beds, stroking a hand through Dean's hair. Dean's head resting on Sam's belly shocked John even more than the fact he was asleep. John walked silently up to Sam and spoke softy in his ear.  
"What do you want for dinner Sam?"  
"What are you having?"  
"I was thinking some take out chicken."  
"Make sure you get fries." Was Dean's response startling them both. They looked down to see Dean had his eyes shut and he was breathing like he was asleep.  
"Sam what happened to him?" John could see the bright redness and darkening color on his forehead and chin.  
"He fell off the bed. It was his own fault and he is ok." John checked Dean out for himself then nodded.  
"You want chicken?"  
"And some coleslaw. Don't forget some drinks. Juice or something for Dean. He has had enough sugar today."

John left and Sam read for a while before nodding off himself for a bit. He woke when John returned with the food. He placed the take out containers on the table and strode over to help Sam wake Dean softly. Dean was all sleepy eyed confusion as John lifted him off Sam and the bed and took him to the table. Sam thought Dean looked cute in John's arms until true to form Dean woke up enough to protest his handling. "Dad put me down. I'm not a little kid."  
"Could have fooled me kiddo." John placed Dean gently on one of the chairs and pulled a take out box in front off him, opening the lid.  
"Cool chicken. Thanks Dad." Dean looked up with such an earnest look that John ruffled his hair and slid the hand down to his shoulder giving it a squeeze before moving to the door.  
"Look after your brother Sam. I will be next door if you need me."  
"Okay thanks Dad." Sam moved over to the table and opened his dinner then started to dig in. Halfway through his kid sized portion Dean looked up in sudden surprise. Sam frowned up at him. "What's up Dean?"  
"I…I didn't think of that."  
"Think of what?"  
"I am getting a headache. Do you think it will be like before?"  
"I don't know."  
"I hope I don't get sick." Dean looked at his meal for a few seconds then decided to eat it anyway. He started shoving the food in so fast it wasn't long before it was done and he was wiping up with a napkin. Sam ate slowly pondering what it could mean if Dean reacted this time like he did last time. He was a lot smaller this time so he hoped he could handle it ok. As he recalled Dean had quite a high fever before he changed. Sam finished his dinner and cleaned up the food containers. As he looked up from dumping the rubbish he saw Dean rooting through the first aid kit Sam had out earlier.

Dean turned to Sam "Do you think it's alright if I keep taking normal aspirin?"  
"I don't know. I will go ask Dad what we should do. Maybe he can go to the drugstore."  
"Tell him not to get medicine. It has to be tablets."  
"Ok." Sam returned a few minutes later. "Dad has gone to the drug store to get something. How's the head?"  
"Feels like there is a woodpecker inside, making a nest." Sam went to the bathroom for a warm cloth and returned to find Dean laying still watching TV on his bed. He sat the cloth on Dean's forehead and Dean immediately felt better. "Thanks Sammy."  
"No problem Dean. Just take it easy." Sam went to the kitchen and made himself a cup of coffee fearing he might be in for a late night. John knocked on the door and handed Sam a bottle of children's chewable Tylenol.  
"Don't worry sport, they're cherry flavored."  
"Ha Ha." said Dean sarcastically.  
"Good luck Sam." John patted Sam on the arm feeling slightly sympathetic that he would be looking after a sick child for the night. Dean crunched a few of the pills down and lay back to rest his head on the pillows. Sam came over and lay down next to Dean. Dean raised his eyebrows in question but Sam merely shrugged. Sam seemed to be enjoying his time with his older/smaller brother so Dean let it pass. For now.

Another hour passed with them watching TV, Dean gradually getting more restless as his headache built up and the nausea kicked in. It kicked in so hard Dean almost face planted the floor again trying to leap over Sam to get to the bathroom in time. Dean held on to the toilet as his dinner came up burning the back of his little throat and bringing tears to his eyes. Dean felt Sam's big hand on his back, soothing him as he retched until his headache was fit to burst through his skull. When Dean finally finished Sam wiped his face with tissues from the sink then helped him to his feet so that he could wash his face. Sam was concerned with the redness of Dean's little face. When he had him settled on the bed he took his temperature and wasn't pleased to find it was 102.3 already. Dean already felt a good deal sicker than he had when he had the spell flung at him. He was beginning to wonder how much worse it was going to get. He was guessing it felt worse because of how much smaller he was in size. He was sure the Mambo was laughing her ass off where ever she was. Sam held out more tablets for him and he barley had them down before he was throwing up again. Sam helped him throw up most of the chocolate he had eaten that day and he was sure he saw some noodles from lunch. By the time Sam had him settled back on his bed his headache was so bad he was clutching his head in an effort to get some relief. He had never had a migraine but was pretty sure this was what it would feel like. It was defiantly the worst one he had ever suffered which was saying something. Dean lay on his side holding his head as Sam drew the curtains to block out the last of the daylight and turned on the tiny lamp in the corner. Sam made Dean take more tablets and some water before rolling him on his belly and rubbing his back. When Dean had settled a little Sam grabbed a warm cloth and applied it to the back of Dean's neck. He could feel the heat coming off him in waves but his head seemed to be very painful so Sam was concentrating on that first.

Dean squirmed as Sam sat next to him and rubbed his back. After a while Dean relaxed as his headache dialed back to a normal sized one and his belly settled. "Thanks Sammy. I feel better now."  
"That's good Dean. To early to go to bed?"  
"No I think I will give it a go."  
"Ok. I will sit up and read for a bit if that's ok."  
"No problem." Dean got changed for bed putting on one of his bigger T Shirts and boxers. He fell to sleep quickly leaving Sam to study his sleeping face. Dean woke feeling hot and nauseous four hours later and he made quickly for the bathroom where he dry retched for far to long for his aching head. Sam was at his side when he rinsed his face off. Sam could feel the heat coming off little Dean in waves.  
"Dean why don't you have a cool shower? It will make you feel better." Dean had the strength to nod but not much more. Sam turned the water to tepid and went out to grab more medication and the thermometer. Sam handed the tablets to Dean who was leaning up against the shower wall. Sam hung around while Dean swallowed the tablets down after a quick crunch up.  
"Sam naked here." Dean protested when he saw Sam was still standing next to the shower curtain.  
"I'm just making sure you are ok Dean. I'm not interested in perving at your tiny body parts."  
"I'm ok Sammy. Go worry in the other room." Dean waited until Sam had moved away before sliding down to the floor of the shower. He couldn't believe how much this spell was knocking him around. He was looking forward to the morning when he would be back to normal. Eventually though Dean got up and turned the water off and grabbed a towel to dry off and dressed back in his 'normal' underwear. Sam was sitting waiting on his bed when he went back out and had the thermometer in Dean's mouth before he was settled in bed.  
"Wow Dean 103.5. How are you feeling?"  
"Hot." Dean deadpanned almost making Sam laugh.  
"Maybe you should throw that shirt off and sleep with just a sheet." Dean nodded feeling too tired and hot to care too much. Sam helped him slip the shirt off and pull the blankets down the bed so he was covered in only a sheet. Dean fell to sleep before Sam had even made it back to his bed where he kept watch until he fell to sleep two hours later.

Dean woke up at two in the morning feeling way too hot even under just a sheet. He got up and opened the children's painkillers and took two with a glass of water. Sam was sleeping solidly on the other bed so Dean slipped outside into the night air. Dean looked up at the star filled night as he leaned against the motels cool wall. They were clear and bright tonight and for some reason they made Dean think of simpler times when his father would teach him the constellations. That had stopped when his father got deep into hunting. Dean turned at the sound of the doorknob of the next door turn and his father slid out silently towards him. "Hey sport. What's up?"  
"Too hot, just having a breather." John looked down at Dean.  
"You do know you are only wearing shorts don't you?"  
"Yes sir."  
"Ok." They stood silently together for a while. "How are you getting on with Sam?"  
"Ok I guess. He likes having a younger brother for a little while."  
"Yeah he never had that." John sighed. "He is growing up fast, our little Sammy."  
"Not so little anymore." John had to grin at Dean being as small as he was talking about who was little.  
"Yeah I know. He will end up taller than both of us the way he is going." Dean huffed a laugh.  
"Probably."  
"I wish he had a grown up attitude to go with it."Dean sighed. His Dad was never one to leave the bone alone.  
"Dad you know if he wants to go he will. We should let him or risk losing him all together." John raised his eyebrows in surprise at Dean's words.  
"You want him to go," he accused.  
"No I don't, but when Sam wants something he can be as stubborn as...well as stubborn as you."  
"Let me get this straight, are you on his side?"  
"I'm am on no one's side. I just want Sam to know we will be here for him if he needs us."  
"You want me to let Sam go live his own life free and clear of us only calling us when he wants us?"  
"No, when he _needs_ us Dad."  
"So you are ok with him skipping out on us?"  
"No, I'm not, but we need to let him and be here when he comes back."

"What if he doesn't want to Dean? What if he doesn't need us once he sees what that other life is like?" Dean sighed. It was something he had been worrying about himself.  
"Then there is nothing we can do." John turned his flint like eyes on Dean.  
"No son of mine is going to walk out on getting revenge for his mother's death."  
"We need to see Sam's point of view. He never knew his mother." John's face was dangerous.  
"That's enough out of you. I don't want you talking about it to Sam at all. Now get some sleep."  
"Yes sir." Dean sighed again as the door closed with a snap behind his father. Dean knew his attempt to get John to see reason for Sam's sake had just been snuffed out. Dean made his way back to bed trying not to think about what he and John had talked about. It took him longer than he wanted to fall asleep.

**_Junior's eyes looked into the skies once more,  
Now he knew well, this life was hell for sure.  
He desperately tried, his fingertips stretched to the stars, yeah,  
Reaching for reason, along with the time and the scars.  
Yeah!_**

**_Juniors eyes, Black Sabbath  
_**

**_TBConcluded

* * *

_**Hope you all had fun with the longer chapter. I didn't want to split this one in two and didn't want to trim away the brotherly moments. Gett**_  
_**


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimers and warnings see chapter 1

Beta: Many thanks to RealFunkyTown for her awesome editing skills. Any mistakes are mine not hers.

Chapter 8

Dean woke early the next morning and immediately jumped up and looked himself over. Yes! He was back to normal. He ran to the bathroom just to be sure. He was the right size but was sporting a bruise on his forehead and on his chin. The stitches in his eyebrow had popped out leaving some small holes and a tiny cut amongst the bruising. He rubbed his chin with his hand. He had never felt so happy to have stubble before. He didn't care what John said, it was staying today. Dean ran back into the room and jumped on Sam's bed waking him up.

"Yeah I'm back Sammy!"

"Glad to hear it Dean." Sam mumbled sleepily. Dean danced around Sam's bed making Sam moan at the rocking of the bed.

"Calm down Dean you are not six any more. Hey, you know you have just shorts on don't you?"

"Huh no. Sorry."

Dean dashed to his bag and grabbed out a T shirt, jeans and socks and went in for a shower. Sam lay back down and after a few moments heard his brother humming loudly in the shower. Sam smiled a goofy smile. He loved his brother and he had taken the chance while Dean had been small to get to talk to him about the future. But would he go back to being his brash big brother or would he talk with him more?

Dean strode back into the room with his hair all bright and glowing after his shower. He went to his bag and threw on an over shirt "Want some breakfast Sammy?"

"You going out to get it?"

"No, I'm going to send my amazing pet giraffe out to get it. What do you want?"

Sam got up and slipped on jeans and a hoodie.

"I will come with you. Before we go, how is your side since your face looks a lot better."

"It's cool see?" Dean lifted his shirts and showed Sam his lower torso.

Sam had a few moments to notice Dean's hard six packed stomach was back. Something he had been envious of until a year ago when he had started to develop his own. There was only slight bruising on his side, overall he looked a lot better. "Ok let's go." They slipped their boots on and went out into the cold morning light for breakfast.

They decided not to let John know where they were going and walked across to the diner. Sam sat across from Dean marveling at the change in his older sibling this morning. He was smiling at everyone including a trucker that held the door open for them as they entered and the waitress that took their order.

Dean flirted openly with the waitress, which happened to be the one that served them the morning before. She certainly wasn't worried by the bruising on Dean's face as she flirted back. Sam smiled as she walked off to get the pot to refill their cups. "Want me to see if she has a sister?" Dean teased with a cocky grin.

Sam grinned at Dean, almost laughing as their cups were refilled. Sam turned to Dean reducing his grin to a much more serious face. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good. Way better than last night." Dean shuddered at the memory.

"That's good. You remember everything from the last few days?"

"Oh yeah." Sam looked apprehensive about talking to Dean now that he was back to his normal self. He was worried Dean would ridicule him or worse, not want to talk about it at all.

Dean looked over his coffee at Sam getting his mood immediately. He knew Sam so well he could see what he was thinking. "It's ok Sam I remember what we talked about. Dad and I spoke last night while you were asleep. Don't expect miracles out of him. In fact I think he will fight tooth and nail to keep you with us."

Sam sighed, at least Dean had talked to his Dad, he couldn't ask for more than that. "Thanks Dean."

"Anyway, we should get back before he has a fit or something." Dean paid for the food and they went back to the motel.

John was packing up his room and loading the car when they went in to see him. "Are you boys ready to head out?"

"Just about." They went to their room and quickly packed up the rest of their gear. They were on the road twenty minutes later headed north for no particular reason.

When they stopped for lunch Dean was his normal cocky confident self but didn't miss that John was looking at the automotive section of the newspaper. He had seen John looking at trucks for a while now and knew he was keen to get one and give Dean the Impala which they all considered Dean's baby anyway. Dean took the next stint of driving and John took the passenger seat, falling into a light doze as Sam read in the back seat.

Dean drove steadily all afternoon with each of the Winchesters lost in their thoughts about events for the last few days. Dean could feel the end of an era coming no matter what his father said and did. John could feel a tough confrontation coming with his youngest and Sam knew Dean would have his back as he always did when the time came.

They found a motel for the night as it started to get dark and John set them the task of getting the room ready while he fetched the food. Dinner was eaten in near silence before the boys were given laundry duty. Dean gathered the dirty clothes in a bag and dragged a sullen Sam with him to the laundry mat and sat him on a chair. Dean put the things in the machine and sat next to his brother handing him a book. Sam took the book from Dean looking with surprise at the front cover. '_The Princeton Review Cracking the SAT'. _

"That's a good prep for your tests Sammy." Sam looked suitably stunned.

"Thanks Dean." He had tears in his eyes and no idea what to say.

As Dean was putting the clothes into the dryer Sam looked over at Dean. "If you are doing all the work why do you need me here?"

"To give you the book geek boy. Hide that away and don't let Dad see I gave it to you."

"But where did you…?"

"Not telling Sammy. Just take it and do the best you can. I will try to work out a way where we can stay in one place to make it easier to study but really that book is the best I can do."

Sam jumped up suddenly and grabbed Dean in a rough hug. Dean allowed it for all of a second before he pushed Sam off him. "Easy there Sammy. I have an image to protect."

"In a laundry mat?"

"You never know where you are going to meet the next hot chick." Dean kept the mood light with some jokes, even poking fun at John's underwear as he pulled it out of the dryer. They went back to the motel and put away the washing after finding a note from John saying he was going to the pub over the road to hustle some pool.

Sam expected Dean to follow suit since his Dad was giving them the night off of sorts but Dean settled down to watch TV with Sam at the end of the beds. Sam was happy to have Dean's company for the night and they laughed and had fun.

At midnight they decided to turn in and got up to go about their nighttime routine. When they were ready they both stood looking at the roll out cot with distaste. "Ok Sammy, let's settle this in the usual way." Dean put his tightly clenched fist on the spread palm of his other hand. Sam copied his stance and watched Dean's grinning handsome face as they shook fists.

The End.

**_They're coming home again tomorrow,  
I'm sorry it won't be for long.  
With all the pain I've watched you live within,  
I'll try my hardest not to cry  
When it is time to say goodbye._**

**_Juniors eyes, Black Sabbath_****_._**

Many thanks to again to RealFunkyTown for her awesome editing skills.


End file.
